The Sexual Assault Response Team had trained forensic interviewers and nurses to get the specifics and administer a rape kit. TheSaneSuite is where I should have forced Jess to go, even though she didn’t tell me about her assault until two weeks afterward.
Railes looked confused, but not convinced.
“There are other things you don’t know about this guy.”
“What kind of things?”
“I’ve heard stuff.” There was no way in hell I was telling Railes about my sister. Jess had been adamant about keeping it a secret. And Railes was not someone I would trust with my sister’s personal trauma even if the monsterwasin the same room.
I glared at Coleman. The heat in my stare could have left a contrail through the room.
“Heard things?” Railestsk’d. “We’re going off crap you’veheard?”
Coleman looked at me arrogantly, like he had the situation under control. It took every ounce of my strength to not bolt over and start swinging.
“Either you cuff him or I do,” I said.
Railes shrugged. “Honestly, I couldn’t care less which one of these faggots you want to take in.”
I shook my head at Railes’s vileness.
“Fine,” I said again through clenched teeth. I started toward Coleman with sweaty palms, my heart beating furiously.
Coleman yelled, “No fucking way. None of this is my fault. I’m the one who needs a fucking tetanus shot.”
“You,” I roared. “On the floor. Hands behind your head.”
He changed tack and went toward Leon.
“On the floor,” I shouted again at Coleman.
My hand went to my Sig, not because I thought I needed it, but because I wanted it. My hands needed it. My fingers itched to put it up to Coleman’s face. At the last second, some modicum of sensibility kicked in. I left it alone.
But then Railes pulled his.
He pointed it at Coleman, then Leon, back to Coleman.
“On the floor, Coleman,” I screamed. “And Railes. Jesus. Put that down.”
Railes ignored me, which meant my words aimed at Coleman meant nothing. Coleman was oblivious to Railes’s gun and hurled abuses at Leon.
Railes shouted for Coleman to back away from Leon and get on the floor. But Coleman, like a hawk trained on a vole, stared at Leon.
“You’ve ruined everything,” Coleman said. “You fucking piece of shit.”
“Stop.” Leon put his hands over his ears. “Just stop.”
“I mean it,” I hollered, fumbling for my Taser. “On the floor, Coleman. Hands behind your head.”
Coleman stood next to the coffee table. Tequila, bottle, shot glasses, cutting board. Knife.
He faced Leon, swearing.
“Stand down,” Railes yelled. “Stand down and drop it. Drop the knife.”
What in the hell was he talking about?Coleman wasn’t holding a knife. The knife was on the coffee table.
“Coleman,” I shouted again. “On the floor. Hands behind your head.” I wanted to tase him, watch him go stiff, fall to the floor, and shudder with pain. I wanted to trade my Taser for my gun. Why not? Railes had his out, and the bastard deserved every barrel pointed right at him.
